Leadership coach John Maxwell once said everything rises and falls on leadership. He underscored the vital place of capable, visionary and dependable leadership in a society.
Just last week, a seed of change was sowed in Nairobi when we witnessed the launch of the Pharmacists Agenda 2022, where the Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya announced it will support its members who are vying for various seats in the August 9 polls.
This was informed by the need for professionals to occupy political positions so that they can be at a vantage position to improve Kenya’s health systems. They signed a pledge to be transformational and credible leaders and be collectively accountable as a pharmacist. We believe professionals should now take a leading role in steering the country politically. There’s no denying that after 59 years of independence, skepticism and hopelessness has engulfed the nation. Part of the reason is that professionals with the knowledge to make a difference are politically aloof.
I recently engaged a clinical pharmacist on the need be on the forefront of the country’s politics. She wanted to know why as a professional society, we had decided to encourage our members to join the dirty and murky world of politics. For a moment, I was taken aback by her lack of concern.
But after a productive exchange, I convinced her that the destiny of the nation is dependent upon our involvement in politics. If only we could be more optimistic, we would make the leadership development agenda to grow in leaps and bounds. Professionals must be empowered to rise to higher political offices to have an impact in transforming services, lives and livelihoods of Kenyans.
This belief is at the core of the leadership experiment we are doing with the Pharmacist Agenda 2022. We believe that when you trust and set clear expectations for people, they will rise up and surprise you– this includes political leaders. If we keep blaming politicians and calling them names based on their behaviour, will it lead them into growing and changing? How would this empower them? Who will be the ultimate beneficiaries when we have public servants who rise to our expectations? From where we sit, it’s better to err on raising the bar than to succumb to cynicism.
Transformational and credible leadership is all we lack. Our forefathers were cynical about planting seeds of liberation because they couldn't trust future generations with power. If not for ourselves, can we be more strategic involved in the affairs of the republic for the sake of generations to come.
As a society of professionals, we have now hit the road. We have begun by training members interested in political seats on credible leadership principles, and having them sign a leadership pledge to stand and be held accountable. Change starts with us.
Our members running for seat this election have our full backing. Five are running to be MCA in Kitui, Kirinyaga and Kakamega, four want to be MPs in Nyaribari Masaba, Shinyalu, Tetu and Kitui East while two are interested in the Senate in Kakamega and Muranga. One members is eyeing the governorship of Muranga.
Let’s inspired professionals to take active roles in the political and governance space.
The writer is the President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya
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